One Forgotten Dead Space Spin-Off Could Find New Life in VR

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One Forgotten Dead Space Spin-Off Could Find New Life in VR

As a long-time fan of the Dead Space series, I can’t help but feel excited about the recent buzz surrounding the franchise with the release of the Dead Space-themed update in Battlefield 2042. The possibility of EA working on a Dead Space 2 remake has been a topic of discussion among fans for quite some time now, but I believe there’s another forgotten entry that deserves attention – Dead Space: Extraction.

Lately, the game “Dead Space” has resurfaced as a popular topic due to the introduction of a “Dead Space”-inspired addition in “Battlefield 2042″‘s Season 7: Turning Point. This update has sparked conversations among fans about the potential creation of a new version of “Dead Space 2”, following the successful relaunch of the original “Dead Space” in 2023. However, before moving on to develop a “Dead Space 2” remake, there’s another previous “Dead Space” title that could be revitalized with an innovative VR makeover to captivate both old and new fans. This is a proposed VR adaptation of “Dead Space: Extraction”.

Dead Space: Extraction Explained

After the successful launch of “Dead Space” in 2008, Visceral Games (formerly EA Redwood Shores) was commissioned by EA to create a mature-rated game for the new Nintendo Wii console. The team’s goal was to make this version of “Dead Space” intuitive and enjoyable for Wii users, as expressed by producer Steve Papoutsis. However, due to hardware constraints, “Dead Space: Extraction” had to feature lower quality graphics than its predecessor and be restricted to an on-rails shooter perspective from the first-person viewpoint. Despite these challenges, “Dead Space: Extraction” was released globally in 2009 and later ported to the PlayStation 3 in 2011 for use with the motion controller PlayStation Move.

Approximately two weeks before the occurrences of “Dead Space 1,” the prequel story, “Extraction,” recounts the mission to obtain the Red Marker from Aegis 7 and initiates the Necromorph contagion on both the planet and the orbiting Ishimura Planet Cracker. In contrast to “Dead Space 1,” this installment introduces several playable characters, including Engineer Sam Caldwell, Detective Nathan McNeill, Doctor Karen Howell, and Sergeant Gabe Weller. Alongside Concordance Extraction Corporation (CEC) Surveyor Lexine Murdoch and CEC Executive Director of Colonial Mining Affairs Warren Eckhardt, this team endeavors to survive against the escalating Necromorph horde while aiding other survivors and escaping.

In the “Dead Space” remake, you’ll come across citations referring to Eckhardt, McNeill, Murdoch, and Weller. These references are included in the text log named “Unexpected Visitors.” This log becomes part of your inventory once you start a new game plus.

Dead Space: Extraction’s VR Remake Potential

In the first-person shooter game “Extraction,” players have limited control beyond shooting at Necromorphs and crazed humans. The game follows a predetermined path, but there are weapons, logs, and ammo for players to collect along the way. This often causes players to focus more on gathering items than on character interactions or story development. If “Dead Space: Extraction” is remade in virtual reality (VR), players would have the freedom to explore their surroundings fully, reducing the need to worry about missing out on important items or dialogue while immersed in the game environment.

A VR version of “Extraction” could enhance the combat experience by giving players more mobility and better situational awareness. In the original game, players typically stay in one place and shoot as many Necromorphs as they can. However, since “Extraction” is on rails, it can be challenging to gauge the distance between players and Necromorphs or determine if it’s safe to attack them. By implementing VR technology, players would have the ability to dodge and maneuver around Necromorphs, providing them with a more immersive and dynamic combat experience. Moreover, this could lead to more intense fight scenes where Necromorphs swarm the player, creating a sense of urgency and pressure rather than allowing the player to take their time to eliminate each enemy individually.

Dead Space: Extraction VR’s Graphical Potential

EA’s Motive Studio might be chosen to create the VR version of “Dead Space: Extraction” due to their previous experience with the technology. Not only did they work on the remake of “Dead Space 1,” but they also developed last year’s “Star Wars: Squadrons,” which offered a VR mode. By leveraging their VR expertise and assets from the “Dead Space 1” remake, Motive could bring an even more immersive and terrifying experience to “Extraction” VR. This could make the initial stages of the Necromorph outbreak in “Extraction” one of the most grotesque and frightening moments in the entire “Dead Space” series.

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2024-07-22 15:04